Elvis will have Scots singing the same tune

Published on Wednesday 1 April 2009 09:45

SHOULD any Scotland player doubt what is required of him against Iceland this evening, a glance across the dressing-room to Steven Pressley should reaffirm the sense of expectation.

Pressley is no stranger to high-octane occasions, in fact he prefers to thrive on pressure. Within the national squad he is more of a background figure compared to the halcyon days of cup finals with Hearts and league championships with Rangers and Celtic. However, don't mistake his new coaching brief as a sign of diminishing ambition.

Iceland arrive at Hampden in the knowledge that their hosts need victory, and nothing less, to sustain ambitions of reaching the World Cup finals in South Africa. If that thought is praying on the minds of Eggert Jonsson and others as they saunter down the tunnel before kick-off, it is likely to have consumed the minds of every Scot striding purposefully alongside them. Because they will have had it rammed down their throats by Pressley before emerging from the home dressing-room. He believes this evening's qualifying tie is one of three Scotland must win in order to reach South Africa. That fact they have only four remaining fixtures in Group 9, and have won just once in the section thus far – against Iceland in Reykjavik last September – gives in indication of the monumental nature of the task lying ahead. Losing 3-0 in Amsterdam at the weekend has made the situation abundantly clear.

A visit to Norway in August precedes a home double header against Macedonia and Holland to conclude the group. For the moment, those engagements are a distant thought to Pressley, who knows tonight is potentially the most pivotal evening of Scotland's qualifying campaign.

"We will have a game plan but we will be positive. We are in a situation now where, with four points from four games, we certainly need to win no less than three of the remaining four qualifiers. That starts tonight," he said. "There's no doubt there is pressure on us to win the game, but that's what playing for your national team is all about. There is an expectancy from your supporters and the nation as a whole. The players have to deal with that, and they will deal with that.

"We need to win no less than three of the remaining four so that's pressure, but we'll deal with it. Ideally, I'm looking at the next three. I'm not going to beat about the bush. If we're going to qualify, we have to do that. That would require us winning in Norway but we've proved we can do that under Walter Smith. We have a fantastic performance and won 2-1 and we've done relatively well out there in the past.

"I don't think our concern is Iceland, I think our concern is how we go about our business. I believe we have the better players and I believe that, if we play to our abilities, we'll definitely win the game. We need to show a degree of patience. Ideally, we would want to score early on but, if not, then we need to show the same level of patience as Holland did against us, for example."

Pressley was an established member of the Scotland side when Iceland last visited Hampden in March 2003 and has studied their performance from last year's meeting. Being moderately familiar with their footballing philosophy qualifies him to predict a stereotypical blood-and-thunder encounter this time, with both sides in need of qualifying points as they chase second place in the section.

"Tonight's game will be more of a British-style game," he said. "I think Iceland are more British in their approach. They are more direct in their play, they rely on things like long throws and they like to get a lot of balls into the box. We are certainly suited to that but, in terms of creating our own opportunities, then without doubt we are capable of that.

"We have players like (Steven] Fletcher and (Ross] McCormack, who has scored 18 goals this season. Players like Scott Brown can get goals so we are more than capable of taking the game to Iceland and winning.

"Playing Holland, the one thing you almost have to accept is that they will have the lion's share of possession. That was evident from the DVDs I saw of all their previous matches. But the game changes tonight and the emphasis will be on ourselves to go and win the game. Iceland will, I imagine, play a more defensive type of game. They'll sit in and look to counter-attack but that's what we need to deal with. We need to be positive in our play. I believe it's a game that we must win, and a game that we will win."

Pressley also possesses first-hand experience of Iceland's principal scoring threat, Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen. "I've played against him on a few occasions but I thought we dealt with his threat exceptionally well in Reykjavik," he continued. "We employed Scott Brown in a more defensive position and he nullified the service to Gudjohnsen . He's still a threat, there's no doubt of that. He's playing at a top European club and he remains a top player, but we've dealt with him before and I'm confident we'll deal with him again."

Precisely who will be entrusted with the task of subduing the visitors will not become clear until nearer kick-off tonight.

Craig Gordon, the Sunderland goalkeeper, has been tipped to replace Allan McGregor following the loss of three goals to Holland. In central defence, Stephen McManus' return to fitness presents national coach George Burley with a decision over whether Christophe Berra should retain his starting berth or make way for the Celtic captain.

"I thought Christophe acquitted himself very well on Saturday, as did Ross McCormack. Their performances were two bonuses for us," opined Pressley. "Mick (McManus) is very positive about his prospects of being involved. Whether he comes back in will be George's decision. The one thing I will say is that he's a very experienced player and he has performed very well for Scotland thus far and been a key player.

"I think the natural replacement (for McManus] was Christophe. It's a left-sided player for a left-sided player. Christophe has had a very good season, he did exceptionally well for Hearts prior to moving to Wolves and he seems to have settled into the Wolverhampton side. I think everyone saw on Saturday that he possesses genuine pace. At this level, that's very important.

"I think Christophe will grow into the position because I know the type of lad he is. You get two different types of players. Some come in and impose themselves on the group quickly. Christophe's not like that. He's a lad who comes in and feels his way in before imposing himself. He'll grow with each game he is given."

The smart money will be on McManus being reinstated at Berra's expense but whoever fills those dark blue shirts this evening will know exactly what is required.

Pressley will make sure of it.